Canada Goose Booth at OR
By Whitney | January 26th, 2012
The 2012 Outdoor Retailer show has come to a close after a successful few days of flurried activity out in Salt Lake City. Soldier had the privilege of unveiling a new tradeshow experience for Canada Goose at the OR show. We were beyond excited to reveal this latest project for CG to thousands of attendees and Goose retail partners!
The sustainable design and execution of the new tradeshow booth at OR represents the heritage and craftsmanship that Canada Goose was founded on. Using materials such as reclaimed snow fence and blackened steel, we worked hard to seamlessly flow together many years of product excellence into the space.
A superb vibe reverberated at the Goose booth, which was noticed and appreciated, by CG Senior Marketing Manager Nathan Wiszniak. “This all looks and feels so right, just the perfect launch into the New Year for Canada Goose,” he said. Soldier also delivered new spaces for shows in Florence, Munich, Berlin and Copenhagen.
Next stop: SIA in Denver, where Soldier will be delivering the newly created Canada Goose Consumer Experience to another global audience!
OUTDOOR RETAILER WINTER MARKET 2012 BY STYLESIGHT
By Emily Xie | January 24th, 2012
Here is a quick look into our exciting journey at the recent exhibition of the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, as posted by Stylesight—with a guest appearance by our very own Bobby Riley.
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market has officially kicked off, as retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and media from around the globe have gathered at the Salt Palace Convention center in Salt Lake City, UT.
Bobby Riley Founder of Solider Design
OR is by far the most important Outdoor show in North America, and in some cases, the litmus test for new gear, campaigns and technologies. Innovation is the name of the game on the floor, and some emerging trends we have picked up on so far are include: DWR-coated down insulation INSIDE jackets and sleeping bags (Congrats to Sierra Designs for winning Gear of the Show from Outside Magzine), “anti-outerwear” soft-shell jackets with hardshell attributes like water and wind proofing, “frameless” goggles for enhanced visability, hybrid insulated jackets that have breathable, stretch panels for increased range of motion AND modular boot systems that can be modified to “pack down”.
Mountain Hardware
New, upgraded booth at Outdoor Research
OR also welcomed some new brands from the Action Sports sector this year, including Burton, Quiksilver , Von Zipper and Stance…adding an element of edge to the show for sure.
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE NEVER SLEEPS
By Emily Xie | January 19th, 2012
Wherever you go in the world, you will be engaged with The Consumer Experience—from the seat of your car, to the bustling bounds of an airport, to the most intimate dining setting, or to the peak of an isolated mountain. It is in your line of sight, on the tips of your fingers, in the words you read, and in the multi-sensory intake we all live through each moment of our lives.
Our commitment to this deep bond, that brands must forge and nurture with the world at large, drives us each and every moment. As we embark on our own studio journey in 2012, we touch down in Berlin, Florence, Salt Lake City, and Denver this month as portions of our work take flight into the public domain. We are unveiling the global strategy, retail system, and complete environment execution plans for Canada Goose at several international trade shows. We have much to share within and beyond this and invite you to join us.
“Tell me it can’t be done… I’ll give it everything I’ve got to prove that it can.”
-Lance Mackey
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: MEET MEGAN
By Emily Xie | January 18th, 2012
Time for another team profile post. Meet the vibrant Megan Campbell, who spends her days here as a designer:
Q: Name please?
Megan Campbell
Q: Where are you from and how did you end up around here?
Austin, TX. After I got married in June, we decided to go on an adventure and live somewhere new—and Boston sounded exciting!
Q: What are some of your frequently visited websites?
Design Inspiration, Buamai, and Etsy.
Q: Do you like guns? How many guns do you own?
I’m from Texas, I must right? …..One. An old BB gun…lame I know!
Q: What made you apply for a design position at Soldier Design?
Soldier has guns. BIG ONES. and…I felt a strong connection to the style of design and inspired by their values and creative thought process.
Q: What do you think about Soldier now you are here? Are you disappointed by the lack of guns?
Every project excites me, the atmosphere is great, and I love working with everyone here! We have become a little family. I’m not at all disappointed.
Q: Since you’re new to Boston and are now well travelled, what one piece of advice would you give someone who lives in your hometown?
You only live once.
Q: And what would you recommend to someone who is visiting the area for the first time?
Eat at Mr. Bartley’s and go BIG. Milkshake. Juicy cheeseburger. Sweet potato fries.
Q: How about respected musical artists?
Gillian Welch, Norah Jones, Ray LaMontagne, Drive By Truckers, Allman Brothers, Skynyrd, Free, the Stones, and Led Zeppelin.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
Hike mountains, float rivers, and drink beers.
Q: Describe yourself in one sentence using only three words.
Passionate and tenacious.
Q: What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Bacon and milk.
Q: What are two true things about you, and one lie?
I have lived in Italy, I’m a thrift store junkie, and I hate coffee.
Q: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Ummmm…..
Q: Can I kick it?
All day, EVERYDAY.
A LOOK AT HARVARD SQUARE: DESIGN RESEARCH HEADQUARTERS
By Emily Xie | January 17th, 2012
Design Research Headquarters as occupied by D/R. Photo via Design Happens
Harvard Square is full of historic buildings that too often go unnoticed by its pedestrians—student transplants, native Cantabrigians, and year-round tourists alike. Just a stone’s throw away from Soldier Design’s office on Brattle Street sits a historic building constructed, in 1969, by world-renowned architect Benjamin Thompson. Known as the Design Research Headquarters, the cantilevered, five-story, glass facade building won the 25-Year Award Design in 2003, granted by the American Institute of Architects for its innovative and modern design that at the time redefined retail architecture.
Today, we know the building to house Anthropologie, while its previous inhabitant, Crate & Barrel, remains ever fresh in our memories. Yet, if we rewind back to late 1960, we discover that the Brattle Street building was originally conceived for a lifestyle store of the same name, Design Research (D/R), which was a revolutionary and wildly popular modern design household goods franchise that the architect Thompson himself had established in 1953. Though the D/R franchise fared well throughout the United States, the company proved to be particularly successful—and even culturally iconic— in its Brattle Street location.
The brand’s success at this specific venue drew on the interaction—the synthesis—of product and architecture to create an exciting consumer experience. In the late 1960s, the building’s modern glass facade jutted conspicuously from its brick and clapboard surroundings. Alluring in its uniqueness, the building symbolized the new, the hip, the brave, and the modern.
Meanwhile, the wall-to-ceiling glass facade transformed the building into a giant display case. Thus, the merchandise—in its strong visual impact and arrangement within the space—performed a crucial function as it activated the space. D/R’s product aesthetic was electric, zestful, even daring. Looking from the street outside, neon colors and bold, zigzagging patterns punctuated the otherwise brick-and-clapboard architectural environment of Harvard Square. At night, the store became all the more vibrant, as light and color radiated through glass and cast an otherworldly glow onto the surrounding street.
Image of interior with products. Photo via Cool Hunting
Indeed, the building seemed to “come alive” in many respects. Looking through the glass, the perusing customers, the upbeat spirit of the employees, and the vivacious colors and prints of the merchandise, collectively resulted in a space that was wholly enlivened and animated. The Design Research Headquarters transcended its role as a retail store. In its optimistic and bold aesthetic, D/R became a social hub, replete with human interaction. It was a place to see and to be seen, as inside, customers lounging on sofas would spark conversation with other shoppers nearby, while those examining glassware on the ground level waved greetings to friends passing by on the street.
Thompson’s idea was not to sell a product, but rather, an attitude towards design. He aimed for a store that generated excitement, that brought to the Square an invigorating consumer experience. Indeed, Thompson achieved this end, by smartly conceiving an architectural piece that worked hand in hand with its merchandise, whose glass facade allowed for the store to become a part of the street itself, and for its bold merchandise to vitalize and draw consumers from without to within. Thus, the Design Research Headquarters houses a great historical example of how product and architecture can interact, coming together to establish a strong brand identity.
*****
Image of book cover and D/R merchandise. Photo via Cool Hunting
To read more on the topic, buy the recent Design Research Book here.
RABIL FOR WARRIOR
By Emily Xie | January 16th, 2012
For the past year and a half, Soldier Design has been working in close collaboration with Warrior, the industry leader in lacrosse and hockey gear, in order to plan and conceptualize product design, development, advertising, and apparel. Paul Rabil, the number one ranked professional lacrosse player in the world, signed with the company to produce a signature line, and has teamed with Soldier Design to develop a new logo that encapsulates, defines, and embodies the essence of the Rabil brand.
Just as a general may be king of the battlefield, Rabil reigns on the lacrosse field and floor. Drawing from the forms of military rank insignia, the Rabil logo evokes authority, anchored in the strong, determined silhouette of the chevron. It is bold, fierce, and powerful. The overall geometric structure is as clean and mathematically precise as Rabil’s maneuvers on the field, while angular and zigzagging lines evoke his sonic agility. Like Rabil, his logo leaves a memorable, relentless impression.
12 CRUCIAL CONSUMER TRENDS FOR 2012 BY TRENDWATCHING
By Emily Xie | January 10th, 2012
As one of the globe’s leading consumer insight firms, trendwatching.com has recently published a briefing of 12 significant consumer trends for 2012, replete with notable industry examples. While the list discusses health and ecological concerns, it seems to significantly underscore the sense of an increasing technological integration in the consumer experience—something that has been and will continue to expand and evolve.
Introduction | This year, much as in previous years, some brands may be staring into the abyss, while others will do exuberantly well. And while we can’t offer any help to defaulting nations or bankrupt companies, we do believe that there are more opportunities than ever for creative brands and entrepreneurs to deliver on changing consumer needs. From Canada to Korea. Hence this overview of 12 must-know consumer trends (in random order) for you to run with in the next 12 months. Onwards and upwards:
In 2012, department stores, airlines, hotels, theme parks, museums, if not entire cities and nations around the world will roll out the red carpet for the new emperors, showering Chinese visitors and customers with tailored services and perks, and in general, lavish attention and respect.
Read RED CARPET in full (including examples from Hilton, Starwood and Harrods)
Expect to see consumers take advantage of new technologies and apps to discreetly and continuously track, manage and be alerted to, any changes in their personal health.
Read DIY HEALTH in full (including examples from Jawbone, Ford and Lifelens)
In 2012, not only will consumers continue to hunt for deals and discounts, but they will do so with relish if not pride. Deals are now about more than just saving money: it’s the thrill, the pursuit, the control, and the perceived smartness, and thus a source of status too.
Read DEALER-CHIC in full (including examples from American Express, Nokitum and Daitan)
Brands will increasingly take back all of their products for recycling (sometimes forced by new legislation), and recycle them responsibly and innovatively.
Read ECO-CYCOLOGY in full (including examples from Dell, Nike and Garnier)
Will coins and notes completely disappear in 2012? No. But a cashless future is (finally) upon us, as major players such as MasterCard and Google work to build a whole new eco-system of payments, rewards and offers around new mobile technologies.
Read CASH-LESS in full (including examples from Google, PayPal and Square)
The majority of consumers live in cities, yet in much of the world city life is chaotic, cramped and often none too pleasant. However at the same time, the creativity and vibrancy of these aspiring consumers, means that the global opportunities for brands which cater to the hundreds of millions of lower-income CITYSUMERS are unprecedented.
Read BOUP in full (including examples from PepsiCo, NCR and Aakash)
Anything that makes it downright simple- if not completely effortless- for consumers to contribute to something will be more popular than ever in 2012. Unlocked by the spread of ever smarter sensors in mobile phones, people will not only be able but increasingly willing, to broadcast information about where and what they are doing, to help improve products and services.
Read IDLE SOURCING in full (including examples from Street Bump and Waze)
Why to consumers, brands that behave more humanly, including exposing their flaws, will be awesome.
Thanks to the continued explosion of touchscreen smartphones, tablets, and the ‘cloud’, 2012 will see a SCREEN CULTURE that is not only more pervasive, but more personal, more immersive and more interactive than ever.
Read SCREEN CULTURE in full (including examples from Sky, 8ta and Huawei)
It’s never been easier for savvy consumers to resell or trade in past purchases, and unlock the value in their current possessions. In 2012, ‘trading in’ is the new buying.
Read RECOMMERCE in full (including examples from Decathlon, Amazon and Levi’s)
While cultural differences will continue to shape consumer desires, middle-class and/or younger consumers in almost everymarket will embrace brands that push the boundaries. Expect frank, risqué or non-corporate products, services and campaigns from emerging markets to be on the rise in 2012.
Read EMERGING MATURIALISM in full (including examples from Diesel, Johnson & Johnson and Sanitol)
Consumers are used to being able to find out just about anything that’s online or text-based, but 2012 will see instant visualinformation gratification brought into the real and visual world with objects and even people.
Read POINT & KNOW in full (including examples from Starbucks, eBay and Amazon)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SOLDIER
By Bobby Riley | December 23rd, 2011
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: MEET JOSHUA
By Alex Taylor | November 10th, 2011
We’ve been very busy here at Soldier these last few months. Since we last posted a “Team Spotlight” post the seasons changed and we took on a another set of young designers, who have been kept extremely busy since they started in September. So busy in fact, this is the first opportunity I’ve had to talk to them. First up is Joshua!
Q: Name please?
A: Joshua Rama Jevons
Q: Where are you from?
A: Rensselaer, N.Y.
A: Kind of a long story… I knew a girl who interned at JDK in Burlington, VT during school. She told me about them, so I checked them out. I told my aunt about it because she lives in Burlington. She happened to know Steve Cousins. So I called him and talked. I found out about Soldier through him. I checked out the website and saw the work Soldier has done in the past…needless to say it was pretty dope. So I sent Steve my portfolio and he told me I should apply for an internship, so I did, and I am glad I did.
A: I think Soldier is a great place to work. Everyone is easy to get along with and the environment is very open which allows for a lot of creativity. The clients we do work for are prime. Couldn’t ask for better work.
A: Black Keys
Led Zeppelin
Guru and Gangstarr
Wu Tang
Jedi Mind Tricks
Rolling Stones
Howlin Wolf
Muddy Waters
A: Someone from my hometown?… Bars close at 2
A: Quincy Market, Nike Town, Bodega, and dollar beers at the Draft Thursdays.
A: Just realize that there are artists who have real messages, meaning, and substance to their lyrics, unlike the mainstream commercial, materialistic rappers that make it to the radio.
A: I don’t know how to answer this question
A: Music, friends, family, Communication Arts Magazine, 123Klan, WPA Travel posters, Art History. A lot of times I find inspiration from observing the environment around me.
A: I would say I am working on some stuff now I would consider a “dream” project, but it would be cool to do something involving music, or science.
A: It’s a good shape to put people through.
A: I have been asked that before, actually, and no it is physically impossible.
A: I am one of six kids in my family.
Scarface was a true story based on my life.
I am a vegetarian.
Q: If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?
A: See the world, I would have to get at least one high speed chase in there, and maybe show up to a party in a helicopter.
A: Absolute zero?
A: It would be a very boring, and bland world.
Under Armour Mountain Campaign 2011/2012
By Barry Dugan | October 14th, 2011
We have been working with the highly successful Under Armour MTN for two years. Over the Spring & Summer we met with their Creative and Brand Directors to strategize and produce a platform that would drive all of their printed campaign communication for the 2011/2012 Winter Season.
The response from the industry, athletes, and retailers has been tremendous. A unique look & feel to the spreads that allows athlete and product performance to merge with dynamic action photography for this emerging category at Under Armour. Featured athletes include Bobby Brown, Jen Hudak, JP Tomich, Chas Guldemond, and Ahmet Dadali. Let it Snow!
DEEPLY MISSED 1955-2011
By Bobby Riley | October 6th, 2011
Soldier Maxim 10: Tip of Spear
By Bobby Riley | September 30th, 2011
Special Forces are often called in when objectives are tightly focused and mission critical. Soldier is a high reliability team of highly discerning and disciplined thinkers and designers who achieve success no matter the obstacles that rise to meet us when the stakes are highest. We do so by drawing on smart planning and strategy, a diverse set of tools and methods, and an ability to improvise and deliver. Initiatives may be short or long term, and may or may not cover every component of a consumer experience execution for brand, but Soldier is the first to go in and create the platform for success.
FORUM’S VACATION
By Barry Dugan | September 30th, 2011
Big Movie Premiere Night for Forum Snowboards Wednesday night in Huntington Beach, CA. Make sure to get out and see Forum’s ‘Vacation’ when it comes to your town.
Check the Tour Schedule here.
We are excited and proud to be partnering with The Program for 2014 brand and product initiatives. Let It Snow!
SOLDIER MAXIM 9: FEAR V. FAITH
By Bobby Riley | September 23rd, 2011
Both Faith and Fear* project into the future and demand fulfillment. One says, “I want it, so let’s make it happen.” The other, a perverse anticipation, says, “Something terribly wrong is going to happen.” One represents an enabling freedom and the other is disablingly oppressive. Soldier calls BS on fear as an operative mode and will wage war against it, on a daily basis, to achieve innovative results.
*Disclaimer: If you’re in danger of getting hit by a bus, fear is a good thing.
Launch: Acceleron Pharma Logo Refresh & Website
By Daniel Vogelzang | September 22nd, 2011
A couple weeks ago, the new Acceleron Pharma website went live. It has been a wonderful collaboration with the folks over at AP; special thanks to Jon and Eric for their hard work to make this site a reality.
There were many steps involved in the creation of the site, but before the site design commenced, Soldier was assigned the task of refreshing the AP logo and wordmark. Soldier was able to breath new life into the “sailing A”, giving it balance, refinement and some “wind in the sail”, to keep the metaphor rolling. After dropping the Pharma from the logo, the wordmark was weighted and the characters were individually customized to complete a very readable and powerful brand mark.
From there, Soldier designed the new site with deep levels of navigation and interaction, while utilizing custom iconography to represent each product. The centerpiece of the site, carrying the brand message of Transforming Research/Medicine/Lives is an animation of molecules coming together to form each word, as if they were under a microscope, and then the user is empowered to break them apart, only to have Acceleron transform them together again. This animation was developed without the use of flash, instead utilizing the latest in HTML5 canvas standards and javascript.
Indeed, the whole site was created using standards-based web development and built on a completely customized version of WordPress to run the CMS.
Launch: Concepts Website and Store
By Daniel Vogelzang | September 9th, 2011
We are pleased to announce the launch of the new Concepts website and ecommerce shop at www.cncpts.com. The site was designed and developed by Soldier Design, featuring an evolved look and feel. The On Air™ recording space in the Concepts store now has its place on the website as well, where the team can post the latest video of the happenings at 37 Brattle and beyond. This is also the first online shop for Concepts, giving their world-wide following access to much of their very considered and limited product selection.
The site is powered by WordPress, Concepts’ blog CMS of choice, and the shop is run by Shopify. The site was created using the latest development techniques including CSS3, HTML5 and JQuery.
Concepts continues to evolve in meaningful ways and the progression will surely continue!
RETAIL RENAISSANCE BY TRENDWATCHING
By Bobby Riley | September 8th, 2011
As many of you know Consumer Insights is a very integral aspect of our design process at Soldier as a Consumer Experience Company. The folks at Trend Watching always seem to deliver pithy or “poppy”, but very relevant information regarding consumer trend and insights, as our friend Hugo over at the Harvard Art & Science Lab would say. We decided to share a recent trend briefing discussing Retail and how consumers will enjoy shopping for your products in “The Real World” more than ever. All said, we believe it is the integration of digital/social/retail that matters most.
No matter what consumer-driven industry you’re in, the latest developments in retail and shopping need to be on your radar. After all, retail is about that very crucial moment that consumers actually PURCHASE your goods and services in person. If that isn’t worth half an hour of your time, we don’t know what is?!
While traditional retail is facing serious and sometimes deserved challenges (Bland chains! E-commerce! Environmental impact! The financial crisis! Demographics! Anti-consumerism!), most people do, and will continue to, enjoy going shopping in the real world. From Oxford Street to Nanjing Road. In fact, rather than witnessing RETAIL RUIN, a RETAIL RENAISSANCE is in the making:
RETAIL RENAISSANCE | Smart retailers are defying doom and gloom scenarios, as they realize that shopping in the real world will forever satisfy consumers’ deep rooted needs for human contact, for instant gratification, for the promise of (shared) experiences, for telling stories. Hence the flurry of new formats, technologies, capabilities, and products that now are delighting retail customers around the world.
Here are just four drivers behind RETAIL RENAISSANCE (there are many more, but we think you’ll get the point.
- OFF=ON: How the benefits of shopping online can now be had offline by consumers too.
- RETAIL SAFARI: How experiences still rule.
- INSTANT STATUS FIX: How shopping in the real world delivers instant status gratification in a way that online (still) can’t.
- CITYSUMERS: The future of consumerism is urban, and urban culture is retail culture. On a global level.
And If your interested in hearing more and specific examples like: bringing the best of online to the real world, be everywhere both online and offline, tailoring in store information, instore exhibitions and POP-UP 4.1 go to trendwatching.com for more.1. OFF=ON
Way back in 2008, we published a Trend Briefing on OFF=ON, highlighting the new ways in which the offline world was adjusting to, if not mirroring the increasingly dominant online world. We stated: “where OFF=ON gets most interesting [is that] a whole new set of business practices and processes, not to mention client involvement and marketing techniques, have emerged online, with consumers relishing these developments, and thus the offline world has to adapt.”
Since then it’s actually been more about total immersion than adaptation: the online world is now completely accessible even when ‘offline’ (that is, away from any kind of online device that is too clunky to be used on the go). For consumers, this is a cause for celebration: because while they want (if not crave) to be online 24/7 (ONLINE OXYGEN), they still prefer to live in the world of warm bodies rather than cyberspace (please re-read MASS MINGLING).
For retailers, this means a world where not only have consumer expectations been set by a decade of shopping online, but one where consumers can access all the things they love about e-commerce – convenience, the ability to hear other consumers’ experiences, total price transparency, and virtually endless choice – out in the ‘real world’ too.
Just check out this recent anecdote, about a shopper in Sears, who when faced with an in-store price $3 higher than Sears’ online store, simply pulled out his smartphone, bought online, selected in-store pickup and walked over to collect his purchase (via The Consumerist).
Extreme? Perhaps, but consider this selection of stats:
- 8 out of 10 consumers research purchases online. While 42% research online and then buy online, 51% research online and then buy in-store (Source: Google & IPSOS OTX, September 2010).
- Multi-channel consumers who receive information from more than one source (store, online, mobile, or catalogue) prior to purchase, spend 82% more per transaction than a customer who only shops in store (Source: Deloitte, December 2010).
- E-commerce conversion rates have been hovering around 2-3.5% while brick-and-mortar conversion rates for fashion retailers have been around 20-25% (Source: Verdict Research, May 2010).
- Of the 40% of US consumers who own smartphones, 70% use their smartphones while shopping in-store (Source: Google & IPSOS OTX, April 2011).
- 74% of smartphone shoppers made a purchase as a result of using their smartphone. Of these 76% have purchased in-store, 59% online while only 35% have made a purchase via their smartphone (Source: Google & IPSOS OTX, April 2011).
- Mobile barcode scanning (including traditional UPC barcodes and QR codes) increased 1,600% globally during 2010 (Source: Scanlife, December 2010).
But OFF=ON is a cause for celebration for retailers too: not only do consumers still enjoy the real world (more on that in RETAIL SAFARI below), but (for now) online benefits are moving ‘offline’ far quicker and more successfully than efforts to replicate the real world, online (Second Life stores anyone!?).
No wonder then that smart retailers are increasingly catering to consumers’ INFOLUST, mimicking if not actually bringing the online experience to their in-store shoppers: everything from in-store price comparisons and customer reviews to suggested pairings (shoppers who bought this also bought…
Doing this will increase sales and improve customer satisfaction by reassuring shoppers that they are purchasing the best of the best, at the cheapest possible price: obviously required information in today’s EXPECTATION ECONOMY. Add to this everything from e-coupons to buy-online / pick-up offline services, and the real world’s enduring advantages will actually receive additional desirability because of online developments.*
*Yes, consumers will continue to be in love with e-commerce too, of course:
This Trend Briefing looks mainly at physical retail. Now, while the distinction between ‘online’ and ‘offline’ is becoming increasingly meaningless, in no way are we suggesting that e-commerce won’t continue to grow rapidly (because it will), or that online retailers won’t continue to come up with innovations that transform the online shopping experience (because they are).
So, watch out for our full Trend Briefing on e-commerce coming soon, or re-read our Trend Briefing on THE F-FACTOR for some insights into the new ways in which consumers’ purchases are influenced by their online friends, fans and followers.
2. RETAIL SAFARI
A window display on Nanjing Road, Shanghai
Shopping moments are now ubiquitous: offline (in the real world, nearly everything now has a retail component!) and online. Meaning that over the last years, smart retailers have looked hard at what would make them unique and forever desirable.
The ones who have been relentlessly reinventing themselves understood that while ON=OFF brings extra transparency and information into stores, shopping isn’t purely functional. For a large number of consumers around the world, ‘going shopping’ is a leisure activity: a way of relaxing, a source of entertainment or a chance to meet up with friends and share experiences.
Indeed, when consumers go shopping in person, they increasingly expect to feel or experience something that they can’t get online: a compelling spectacle, exclusive products, the ability to test and feel things, or learning how to use products. Hence, the rise in highly experiential stores and outlets, turning the retail arena around the world into a veritable RETAIL SAFARI.*
* We’re not saying that physical stores will become wholly focused on providing ever more extreme experiences. It’s a cliché, but there will always be shoppers who just want the convenience and instant gratification of buying in a physical store. In those cases too, retailers who make that process so enjoyable or personal that consumers don’t feel the need to compare it online will thrive. Just look at Apple!
3. INSTANT STATUS FIX
Whether it’s the sensory impact of walking around a store, flaunting the bags, being served by caring shop personnel or just purchasing items in an environment with other people looking on, a shopping experience in the real world delivers instant status gratification in a way that online (still) can’t. However shallow that might be.
Regular readers will be familiar with the idea that the search for social status underpins much of consumer behavior (do re-read our Trend Briefing on STATUSPHERE), and thus, the act of real world shopping will remain a popular way for consumers to receive their status fix.
4. CITYSUMERS
From the ‘old’ world to the ‘new’ world, everyone (still) loves to shop, shop, shop!
We couldn’t let this Trend Briefing pass without looking at unrelenting urbanization and the expansion of consumer culture it brings.
As we said in our recent Trend Briefing on CITYSUMERS – cities are retail nirvanas: urban culture is retail culture. Urban dwellers have more disposable income, more leisure time and virtually limitless opportunities to spend it, and as a result, retail therapy will remain a key prescription for CITYSUMERS.*
While this is obviously true in mature markets (that are already urban), the real story is in emerging markets, where urban migration unleashes tens of thousands of new, eager consumers into the retail arena every day (if this upsets you, please don’t shoot the messenger!
Just a few stats:
- Chinese retail sales in July 2011 rose 17.2% to CNY 1.4 trillion (approx. USD 222 billion) from a year earlier. Urban retail sales increased 17.3% year-on-year to CNY 1.25 trillion, while rural retail sales climbed 16.4% to only CNY 191.9 billion (Source: National Bureau of Statistics, August 2011).
- Between 2001 and 2010, retail sales in developing markets went from 35% of the global total to 42%, with per capita growth of nearly 100%, from USD 2,009 to USD 3,847 (Source: AT Kearney, June 2011).
- Asian retail sales are forecast to grow from USD 5.4 trillion in 2010 to USD 8.5 trillion in 2014. Retail sales in North America and Western Europe at that time are forecast to be USD 4.5 trillion and USD 2.7 trillion respectively (Source: PWC & Economist Intelligence Unit, January 2011).
* Certainly not all consumers adhere to the philosophy that ‘more=better’. From eco-concerns to unconsumption movements, sources of social status are increasingly fragmented for mature consumers, and now include ‘new’ status symbols such as generosity, skills, connectedness or reputation (see our STATUSPHERE Trend Briefing for more on this). But, whatever a consumer’s definition of status, in modern, connected, urban environments, there will forever be opportunities (temptations even) to satisfy it through consumption.
SOLDIER MAXIM 8: BRANDS ARE EXPRESSIVE, BUT EXPERIENCES LIVE ON!
By Bobby Riley | August 26th, 2011
2011 UNDER ARMOUR ACCESSORIES COLLECTION
By Barry Dugan | August 17th, 2011
Soldier Design recently collaborated with Under Armour to provide strategy, look & feel, and ultimately deliver all packaging design for the 2011 Under Armour Accessories Collection. As Under Armour continues to be relentless in their pursuit of equipping athletes with the most superior equipment available, their creative partners are playing crucial roles in this mission.
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: MEET ALEX
By Alex Taylor | August 16th, 2011
Alas the summer is almost over and our young friends will soon be flying the nest back to from whence they came… so lastly but by no means least, here is Alex’s Diaz’s profile post!
Q: Name please?
Alexander Domingo Diaz
Q: Where where you born?
Tokyo, Japan.
Q: Describe yourself in less than 5 words
The Little Brown Man.
Q: Oooh. 4 words, you’re good. What/who inspires you?
Jock jams, mountains, oxymorons, minimalism, Evan Stone.
Q: What made you apply for an internship at Soldier Design?
Success in the Solar Decathlon 2009. Winner in commerce? Whaaaa? thats nutty, BRUV!
Q: What do you think about Soldier now you are here?
It’s ok.
Q: How about respected musical artists?
Gilberto Gil, John McCampbell (…he’s also a single so get on it boys and girls) and John Williams for doing the Jurrassic Park score.
Q: What are some of your frequently visited sites?
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Q: Top 5 items/possessions you can’t live without?
Rocky I, II, III, IV, V.
Q: If you had to move to a city, state or country (besides where you currently live/work) where would you move and why?
San Francisco. Lotta creeps out there. Also, more asians.
Q: What do you do for fun?
Architecture… Alcoholism, actually.
Q: What is your worst habit?
Being nice to people n’ stuff. 
Q: Favorite food?
- Warm soft tacos. They’re great when they come in sets of three.
- Longanisa. Long and fat sweet/spicey sausage from the Philippines.
- Katsu curry. Breaded pork topped with curry on a bed of rice.
Q: What are two true things about you, and one lie?
Michael Jackson gave me tips in life. I got hit by two Jeeps, one after the other, and was still on my bicycle. I used to be a Taxidermist.
Q: If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
Chinatown masseuse.
Q: What is the best piece of advice that someone ever gave you?
Stop working. Go to the movies!
Q: How deep is your love?
The Bee Gees keep asking me that too. must be an english thing. But this is how deep my love is.
I know what you are thinking… it will be quiet around here once they’ve gone.